Training Bonus in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein: What Employees Receive in 2026

For professional training, there are four state-level instruments in Northern Germany in 2026, and they differ significantly: Schleswig-Holstein has funded 60 percent and up to 5,000 euros per training course since 02.02.2026, Hamburg 40 percent and a maximum of 750 to 1,000 euros, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern via the Bildungsscheck with 50 percent up to 3,000 euros, Bremen with a narrowly defined training voucher up to 4,500 euros. The most important difference lies in the details: sometimes the company applies, sometimes the employees themselves, and the requirements for the course provider range from informal to a certification obligation.

Schleswig-Holstein: Training Bonus SH

The Training Bonus SH was improved as of 02.02.2026: 60 percent of course costs, a maximum of 5,000 euros per training course, several training courses per year are possible, the employer covers the rest. Applicants are the employees themselves, online at IB.SH, the requirement is a place of work in Schleswig-Holstein. The course needs at least 16 teaching hours, and the provider must be certified, according to ISO 9001, AZAV, or with a recognized quality seal. Accompanying coaching is expressly excluded.

Hamburg: Training Bonus PLUS

In Hamburg, the employees also apply, not the company: 40 percent of course costs, a maximum of 750 euros for courses under 2,500 euros, otherwise 1,000 euros, with special quotas for example for skilled trades. The requirement is living or working in Hamburg, an employer with fewer than 250 employees, and at least eight teaching hours. An honest note on the situation: the official project period ended in late 2025, but the application portal is still accepting applications, the current status should be clarified directly with the provider Zwei P.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Bremen

In MV, funding runs through the Bildungsscheck of the GSA Schwerin, and here the company applies: 50 percent of course costs, a maximum of 3,000 euros per voucher, with low provider requirements and no certification obligation. Excluded are, among other things, pure product training and legally mandated instruction, the current application status should be checked directly with the GSA. Bremen's training voucher is funded with 500 to 4,500 euros, but is narrowly targeted at employees in small businesses and low-skilled workers and requires at least 50 teaching units, so it is rarely a good fit for compact in-house AI training.

What does this mean for AI and Copilot training?

For compact in-house AI training, the Bildungsscheck MV is the most accessible instrument in the north, because the company applies and independent providers are approved. In SH and Hamburg, provider approval is decisive: mainly certified training providers are used there, and the employees have to take action themselves. The major federal instruments only apply from 120 hours, the classification for this is explained in the article Qualifizierungschancengesetz and AI Training. And regardless of the funding source: which AI skills a team really needs is best clarified based on its own workflows, and we help with that in our AI Consulting.

Frequently asked questions about the training bonus in the north

How much is the training bonus in Schleswig-Holstein in 2026?

Since 02.02.2026, the Training Bonus SH covers 60 percent of course costs up to a maximum of 5,000 euros per training course, and several training courses per year are possible. Employees with a place of work in Schleswig-Holstein apply themselves at IB.SH, the employer covers at least 40 percent.

Who submits the application, the company or the employees?

This differs by state: in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, the employees apply themselves, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern the company applies for the Bildungsscheck. For in-house team training, the MV model is therefore the least complicated, because the company keeps planning and application in one hand.

Does the course provider have to be certified?

In Schleswig-Holstein yes, the guideline there requires ISO 9001, AZAV, or a recognized quality seal. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern lower proof is sufficient, in the simplest case suitability based on the provider's business purpose. Anyone planning a specific course should clarify the provider question with the relevant approval body before signing a contract.